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The latest tips from Amanda

It is good for you or so I am told

3/30/2017

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OK so I keep reading Fithacker and it advises me on what I should be eating and drinking to improve my general health, but to be honest I do like an easy life as well as being a bit tight with my money!

Apparently lemon mixed with ginger in a glass of water is really good for you and we should be drinking it first thing in the morning. Sounds wonderful but there is no way I am going to get out of bed any earlier than I already do to start grating ginger and squeezing lemons especially when I am trying to get the kids to school and myself ready for work - don't get me wrong, I try to be  good but I am not that good!
So to make life a bit easier, I grated some ginger, squeezed a lemon and added the grated zest, then mixed it together and stuck it in an ice tray to freeze.  Now when I feel I should be healthy I can defrost as much as I need,  pop it in some iced water and hey presto a nice refreshing drink and some extra brownie points before I rush out of the door
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Hints and tips
If you have any frozen lemon slices stick them in the water instead of ice cubes.  As I grow mint in a pot in my garden I add some leaves to give it a more intense and refreshing flavour
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Posh egg & chips

3/29/2017

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So I asked Elaine (my colleague at work) if she had any good recipes to put on the website and she told me that when she and her husband were buying their first house together they often ate egg and chips so they could save money. 
This got me thinking of what you can actually make with those two ingredients, to make them a bit more interesting if you are eating them on a regular basis:

Poached egg and chips with Asparagus:
I am useless at poaching eggs but I saw an article on Facebook showing you how to cook them in cling film in boiling water so I thought I’d give it a try:
  • Put some cling film in the bottom of a small bowl or cup
  •  Grease it with some butter,
  • Add the egg
  • Tie the ends of the cling film together with a plastic tie, or elastic band.
  • Place in boiling water for 4 minutes​ ​
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I added some asparagus to the boiling water for the same amount of time so I was only using one saucepan. Asparagus is really cheap at this time of year and is great for one of your five a day.  It also tastes great dipped in egg yolk!
After cooking the oven chips until golden brown I placed everything in a bowl and watched my 11 year old son devour the lot. ​
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Spanish Omelette
​I cooked some oven chips in an oven proof dish until golden brown. Then covered them with a couple of whisked eggs and added some salt and pepper for seasoning.  Then I placed the dish back in the oven until the omelette was cooked through.  I then added some rocket garnish, but you can try parsley or spinach. Anything green and edible will do!
​

If you prefer a light fluffy omelette add a desert spoon of boiling water to the eggs whilst you are whisking them.
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Healthier Spanish Omlette
For a healthier version of the above, cut a potato (you can also use sweet potatoes) into slices keeping the skin on if you want to save time and benefit from the extra potassium and iron potato skins give you.

Toss them in some olive oil with a pinch of salt and cook as you would your oven chips. Add a sprig of rosemary, this is really easy to grow in pots or in the garden.

Preparing the chips this way may take a few minutes longer but taste just as yummy and also has some great health benefits.
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A home made meal for four on a Saturday night for under £10

3/20/2017

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Ok, I spent a bit more than I should have at the Garden Centre on the Saturday afternoon. We have all been there! Although it's usually shoes, handbags or clothes that tempt us into a spending frenzy. Then on my way home, I thought to myself I could balance out my weekly budget by spending a little bit less on the Saturday night meal for the family. 
 
So I popped into my local Asda and came home with a bag of Pasta, some tomatoes and Mozzarella, a garlic bread and a bottle of their award winning La Moneda Merlot Reserva .
 
La Moneda Merlot Reserva reduced to £4.50
Asda Penne Pasta 2 for a £1.00
Asda Garlic Bread £1.00
Asda Antipasti Tomato and Mozzarella selection  £2.50
ASDA Grower's Selection Cherry Tomatoes (Optional) £1.00

I already had some fresh tomatoes in my fridge at home and always keep a basil plant in the kitchen but these were nice to not need to have extras.
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Then voila! Less than 20 minutes later some lovely pasta with tomatoes and Mozzarella, garlic bread and some very yummy wine!!!  - Only afterwards did I let slip to my husband how much I spent at the garden centre but by then he was too full and mellow to care. ​
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